The 8 best iron supplements of 2023

Catherine Canadeo, certified holistic health instructor and integrative nutritionist based in Westbury, New York. “Your body uses iron to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to all parts of the body, and myoglobin, a protein that delivers oxygen to muscles.” She adds that iron also partially makes up the proteins that support muscle metabolism, healthy connective tissue, neurological development and overall cellular function. Plus, iron supports the production of some hormones, she says.

Meet the experts: Catherine CanadeoHolistic Health Instructor and Integrative Nutritionist based in Westbury, New York, Chisom A. Ikeji, MDassistant professor of critical care at the University of Pittsburgh, e Mona Rosene, MS, RDglobal director of scientific affairs at ChromaDex.

Iron is best absorbed through foods like meat, poultry, and seafood, but most Americans don’t get the recommended daily amount (8 milligrams for adult males, 18 mg for adult females, per National Institutes of Health), he adds Chisom A. Ikeji. MD, assistant professor of critical care at the University of Pittsburgh and a Nature Made wellness ambassador. This is especially true for of vegetable origin, which “need nearly twice the recommended iron,” Ikeji continues, because the body doesn’t absorb the type of iron found in plants (non-heme) as easily as it does the type found in meat (heme). This setback, however, can be partially offset by the assumption of C vitaminThat it was discovered which improves the absorption of non-heme iron.

While iron deficiency is a problem, so is too much iron intake, which is why it’s crucial to see a doctor for blood work before adding a supplement to your regimen. “There’s no regulated way to get iron out of the body,” Ikeji explains: It’s only lost through bleeding. Thus, excess iron “can cause serious damage to cells and organs,” causing symptoms such as constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, Dr. Ikeji adds.

Our top picks

[product-summary-view headline=” showheadline=”false”/>

Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.

So, if your doctor has given you the green light to hunt for an iron supplement, keep scrolling for expert-recommended picks.

” />